When you're home sick with a non-fatal strain of the hantavirus, there's nothing quite as comforting as watching a Senate Budget Committee hearing on the Economic Outlook and Options for Stimulus. It's sort of the wonk equivalent of the Price is Right, except that instead of trying to win a new car or spin a giant wheel, Senators are trying to save the auto industry and stop the whole economy from spinning....

The two-hour hearing on Wednesday included  lively debate on the need for, and nature of, a second stimulus package. While much of the discussion focused on macroeconomic issues (targeted vs. broad, temporary vs permanent, short term stimulus vs. long term etc.) here are a few quick health policy highlights:

• More than 1.2 million jobs have been lost in the past year, hitting virtually every sector of the economy. One of the few industries to see gains in employment? Health Care.
• There seemed to be a consensus among that increasing direct aide to the states—such as by increasing FMAP rates—was one of the best ways to provide immediate bang for the stimulus buck as states are already struggling to maintain current programs like SCHIP and Medicaid.
• Spending on infrastructure and technology is a favorite of stimulus junkies looking to generate real assets and returns on investments. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) suggested that the  Committee might look at Health IT and health care in general.

More broadly speaking, the tenor of the discussion had similarities to current debate around health care. Action is needed not in spite of financial woes but precisely because of our current economic state. The cost of doing nothing is far greater than the price of reform.